Expert: Jamie Yocono - 11/7/2005

Question
I have a new home with natural Pine ceilings, doors, baseboards and window trim. The floors are tile and not an issue. My question has to do with how to best preserve and protect the natural beauty of the wood. I've been looking at polyurathane and lacquer products and I was wondering if you had an opinion on what may be best to use. I would like as natural a finish as possible.  

Answer
Hi James,

This question is somewhat outside the scope of my expertise. I rarely work with Pine, and I usually don't answer questions about finishing. But...I do have an opinion about natural finishes, particularly Watco Danish oil, so I thought I would attempt an answer.

Depending on the decor in your home, Pine usually looks nice with a hint of stain on it. Of course, that depends if your home has furniture that is dark or light. Personally, I like light wood, so I would leave it natural. So you might want to stain it to match what you have in your home.

Know this- Pine will darken a bit over time. Not a huge amount, but it will darken to a honey color, so if you stain it, it might end up darker than you intend it to be.

That said, after staining it, you need to seal it with a protective coat. I recommend a penetrating oil product. Oil is WAY easier to apply than Varnish or lacquer. You don't need a dust free environment, and you don't have to worry about drip marks or anything like that. And you can apply it with a rag. And many oils have the stain mixed right in with it, so it's a matter of wiping on a few coats and you're done.

Sweet.

But DO NOT use linseed oil! Many people who use Pine have this notion that linseed oil would be great, but I disagree. And I've been at Home Depot and heard their salespeople pushing the linseed oil, and I just cringe. There are 2 types of linseed oils- boiled or raw. The boiled oil is refined and has dryers added to it, so that it will absorb and dry on the wood. But that's a relative term, trust me. The raw oil will NOT dry, and will remain sticky on your wood. BOTH are smelly, and that's the main reason I wouldn't use it. I have a jewelry box that was coated with linseed oil years ago, and it still smells!

You want a penetrating oil that has dryers in it, so it dries properly and will not attract dust and list and so on. And with enough coats applied, it builds up a little surface protection.

OK- so where does that leave you? I would look for an oil that will dry better than linseed oil. There are some good ones out there- Minwax makes one, so does Watco. Formsby, too.  If you want color, look for the oils have stain right in them. Your local Home Depot or Lowes should sell the oils- they are specifically called Danish Oils, and you will find them in the paint department. Just ask the clerk to recommend a Danish Oil with a stain in it. There is usually a color chart so that you can see the different colors.

My bottom line suggestion- I like Watco Danish Oil. I prefer the clear version, called Watco Natural, and I use it for nearly everything I build. That includes furniture, kitchen and bath cabinetry, and some wooden trim. It's only water resistant, so if you're near moisture (like in a bathroom or a kitchen) you might want to get the Watco Exterior Oil. I've used it on decks, outdoor furniture, and hardwood flooring. It's great.

Hope this helped. Please feel free to write back if you have any other questions.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV